


A Love That Lasts

by Lianna_Kent



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, Dancing, Despair, F/F, F/M, Heartache, M/M, Pre-Canon, Romance, Tragic Romance, Unrequited Love, Waltzing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-29
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-04-28 17:06:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5098502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lianna_Kent/pseuds/Lianna_Kent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jean finds himself watching on as his friends waltz on the dance floor before him. With every smile they exchange and every subtle touch they share, his heart only grows heavier. He despairs at the thought of all he has lost.<br/>Short one-shot. Mainly Jean/Marco but mentions of other couples.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Love That Lasts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [obsessorofmusic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/obsessorofmusic/gifts).



> Hello all, this is my first fanfic on here and this is my favourite pairing from AOT. I hope it pleases. Let me know what you think. All mistakes are my own.   
> Written while listening to ‘As the World Falls Down’ by David Bowie. The Story is inspired by the ballroom scene in Labyrinth.

They were all here. All gliding across the dance floor before him in a melodic trance. The tune was one of his favourites. A soft yet orphic inflection of love’s promises. Jean descended the final few steps and crossed over to the edge of the waltzing couples. Their uniforms were immaculate. Some even defying protocol in favour of long flowing dresses under the forest green cape. 

He swayed to the tune as he watched his friends in each other’s embrace. Everyone had someone to dance with and they looked – perfect. Reiner and Bertolt waltzed by, both smirking as Jean watched Reiner’s hand inching it’s way lower to caress his lover’s pert behind. The next pairing were just as affectionate with the blonde in the silver and black dress leaning down an inch to plant a sweet kiss on her partner’s lips as he lifted her from the floor as they spun passed. Jean wasn't sure who they were, but he had seen them in passing. This fact didn't help the pang of jealousy he felt watching the partner’s beaming smile after he placed her back on the ground and they continued dancing through the crowd.

Then SHE passed by. The same indifferent look on her face as Eren stretched on his toes to spin her under his arm. Grabbing her possessively once more until she was flush against his chest. Even Mikasa had worn a dress – a subtle blood red fabric sashaying around her body as she was spun again. This time Eren let her go. She was instantly captured by Annie’s strong hand and found herself encased in the blonde’s arms. They stared into each other’s eyes for mere seconds before Mikasa’s glare softened and she placed a hesitant kiss at the edge of Annie’s jaw. Jean’s heart ached at yet another one of his friends’ happiness.

Eren stood mouth agape as he watched Annie drag the girl of his dreams into the crowd and out of sight. Jean felt a little better at the sight, but not for long as Armin had taken Eren’s hand, threading their fingers together and dragging him down by his collar to capture his lips in a searing kiss. At first Eren froze. Jean sniggered at the sight as he could only imagine that Eren had always been oblivious to the delicate blonde’s feelings for him. As soon as Armin tried to run away, tears beginning to form in his eyes at Eren’s rejection, the emerald eyed fool broke from his shock and chased after his best friend, almost knocking Jean over in his haste. He caught him just before he fled up the main stairwell, opting to drag him underneath it and into the shadows instead, where he slammed Armin’s frail body against the wall and plundered his mouth with his own. The ferocity of their touch increased as Armin’s hands found their way under Eren’s shirt and he wrapped both legs around the taller boy’s waist.

Jean couldn't watch any longer. His heart ached again as he realised that he would never be allowed even an ounce of this love that they felt for each other. He had already made his mistakes and lost everything he had ever cared for. With a heavy heart he walked forward into the sea of spinning faces. Instantly he was surrounded. They waltzed around him. Each and every one of his friends turning their faces to look at him. Offering a pitying smile as they all knew what he had done. 

Connie and Sasha swayed passed him. Connie’s look of sorrow had tears welling at the corners of Jean’s eyes as Sasha ran her fingers along his jaw in a reassuring manner for an instant before they too melded back into the crowd.

He spun in place, fanatically searching for an opening in the crowd. Any way of escaping the judging looks. The more he panicked, the more the faces before him seemed to morph. Some donning pained expressions, some grey, lifeless eyes. Their clothes became ragged and dirty. The sparkling white trousers now caked in wet, putrid blood. The bodies waltzing passed him now missing limbs and the beautiful dresses became the stained death shrouds they all knew too well.

Jean felt like screaming, but any sound he made was muffled by the hands suffocating him. The hands clawing at his skin and dragging him back to stare into the lifeless eyes of his friends. He spun again to face Reiner. The muscular mountain before him sank to his knees, cradling an item wrapped carefully in a bloody rag in his arms, muttering the same broken words over and over. “This is all that’s left … my Bertolt.” Jean gagged at the sight and fled, forcing his way through the crowd.

This time he came face to face with Armin. The sapphire eyes weren’t gently, they held no love, just madness. “A…armin?” Jean tried to call his name, but the boy didn’t even notice he was there, he just stared straight through him and started screaming. The guttural sound of encasing despair. Jean couldn’t handle anymore. He shut his eyes tight and sank to his knees. Head buried in his arms to shut out everything.

He stayed that way for a long time. Shaking until the sobbing and his friend’s screaming became distant.

“Jean?” A familiar voice beaconed him. He felt warm fingers caressing his cheek and pulling his chin up but he dared not open his eyes. This was the one sight he didn’t want to see. Not again! “Open your eyes Jean.” The soft voice continued, “I haven’t seen them in such a long time. Don’t deny me what I really want.” The fingers were now working their way through his two toned hair, tugging gently every now and then in a playful manner, making him forget the sights he had to endure.  
Slowly, Jean opened his eyes. Long eyelashes fluttering as they shook the tears from their tips. Finally his gaze landed on the lean torso before him, hidden well in the last uniform they both would ever wear. “Look at me Jean!” The forceful purr so close to his ear, making his insides jelly.

“I'm afraid” Jean breathed, his hands caressing the edges of his best friend’s jacket. “If I look at you … I'm afraid of what I’ll see.”

“Don’t be afraid. It’s me.” The soft hands in his hair tugged a little more, forcing his gaze higher. Jean traced the familiar curves of his best friend’s face with his eyes and held his breath as their eyes finally met. He could lose himself in those kind pools of hazel. “See” the raven haired boy with the delicious coating of freckles whispered, caressing Jean’s cheek with the pad of his thumb, “I'm right here. You don’t have to be afraid.”

“M…Marco?” Jean stuttered. “I missed you so much.” Jean lunged for Marco, wrapping both arms around his middle, burying his face in the rough uniform fabric. “I don’t want to be alone anymore” he sobbed.

“Don’t cry amore mio.” Marco wrapped Jean tight in his arms. “I will never leave you … but I don’t have long. The dance will end and you will have to leave.”  
“But you said that you’d never leave me Marco!” Jean babbled as he got to his feet, never removing his hand from the taller man. “I can’t lose you again. I've been waiting for so long to apologise to you … Take me with you.”

“No Jean!” Marco held him at arm’s length, a familiar pout gracing his features. “You have too much to do. You have to carry on. There are people who count on you. Reiner, Bertolt, Armin, Mikasa. They all need you. Be their saviour as you were mine.”

“I wasn't your saviour Marco. You died and I could do nothing to stop it. I didn’t even have the strength or the courage to tell you how I felt.” Jean reached out to join the freckles on Marco’s cheeks always as he had wanted to do when the boy was flesh and blood in his arms. 

“Oh I knew Jean.” He giggled, blushing a dark shade of pink. “I have always known how you felt. The way you looked at me – with such longing and desire. The way you took care of me. The way our fingers would brush as we walked … I only regret never having the courage to clasp those fingers tight and never let them go.” Marco twinned their fingers as if to support his words. “I have always loved you Jean and death will never change that - It just wasn't our time.”

“What do you mean it wasn't our time? We can have it now, I can come with you” Jean pulled Marco closer, resting their foreheads together, and then in a whisper “I don’t want to go back to that world … a world without you in it!”

“You must – you have work to do. You have to protect the others long enough to do what must be done.” Marco placed a gentle kiss on Jean’s forehead. “Then we can be together. I will wait for you as long as it takes.” Another kiss. This one lower, just beside his eye. “And I will always be there next to you, guiding you.” The next kiss was placed at the corner of his lips and the words a soft rumble. “Whenever you think of me. Think of my hands caressing your skin” Jean could feel Marco’s fingers ghosting over his abdomen “and think of my lips against your lips.” Marco captured Jean’s lips in a passionate kiss. A kiss that would stay in his mind forever. “I love you Jean.”

“I love you too Marco.” Jean sobbed as the Marco in his arms began to fade away. The phantom dancers were back, just as happy as when he saw them for the first time. All dancing happily in each other’s embrace. A single tear slid from his eye and traced a pattern along his cheek, almost as if Marco’s fingers had mapped the path ready for it.

This was not the first tear he shed for the raven haired boy and it wouldn’t be the last. He only wished that dreams such as these would grace him more often.


End file.
